Some news for you 1492 fans (1 Viewer)

[trajan]

I just received an e-mail from Concorde video[Germany] that the 1492 bluray coming in September will indeed be region free.

 

[ricktech12]

Awesome, the France Blu-ray was a huge letdown because of the hertz issue despite being region free it wouldn't play on most Region A Blu-ray players. I hope this is a new HD video transfer done by Concorde and not ported over from the France Blu-ray, some special features would be nice. The films 20th anniversary is in October it looks doubtful it will be released on either DVD or Blu-ray in the USA market, but this will have to do.

 

[Ejanss]

Rented the movie on Netflix a while ago--
It's one thing to look at the movie and say "Uh, y'know, Columbus never actually DID clash with the Spanish Inquisition..." (There's no historical account of it except for Nathaniel Hawthorne's fictionally embellished retelling, and Hawthorne always did have a literary bug against the New England Puritans.)
But to actually take it a step farther and make "Columbus versus the repressive thinking of the Old World" the central thematic metaphor of the story....no. That's just Wrong Squared.

 

[ricktech12]

Rented the movie on Netflix a while ago--
It's one thing to look at the movie and say "Uh, y'know, Columbus never actually DID clash with the Spanish Inquisition..." (There's no historical account of it except for Nathaniel Hawthorne's fictionally embellished retelling, and Hawthorne always did have a literary bug against the New England Puritans.)
But to actually take it a step farther and make "Columbus versus the repressive thinking of the Old World" the central thematic metaphor of the story....no. That's just Wrong Squared.

I don't care about if it's historically accurate or not, I like Depardieu as an actor and think Ridley Scott is an amazing director, it also helps it had a great cast, score, costume designs, etc. IMO a well made film about Columbus, it doesn't matter to me or not if they got it 100 percent accurate because it's someones elses vision/interpretation of historical events and it worked for me.

 

[Ernest]

1492 is is very entertaining and like many historical movies is not historical correct. Columbus was very well educated and keep written records of his experiences. All of Columbus's written records are in Spanish not Italian. Based on Columbus's writings historians believe he was Spanish, maybe Jewish, and bank rolled by wealthy Spaniards looking for a New World.
The nick name "Indians" was coined by Columbus when he meet the indigenous people on his first voyage. He thought he was in India so he called them "Indians". The name stuck. Unlike Troy, Columbus lived in a time when written records were kept so we do know many facts about his journey. Unfortunately, there is little about Columbus before his epic journey so we will never really know the complete story.
Nevertheless, Ridley made a very enjoyable movie that flopped at the box office. It was not a bad movie the general public was not interested in a period piece about Columbus. Maybe a longer version would develop the story and characters better as we saw with Kingdom of Heaven.
I would think the German version is the same as the French Blu-Ray because it would be to expensive to transfer the movie again. The French Blu-Ray is 1080i/50 and was reported as Region "B". I haven't received my copy yet and when I do I will confirm the Region. Region-Free Blu-Rays normally have a logo on the back of the packaging showing "ABC". If the region is designated you will need a Blu-Ray player that allows you to select the Region A, B or C. Region-free Blu-Ray players also play 1080i/50 the interlaced international standard.

 

[Ejanss]

The nick name "Indians" was coined by Columbus when he meet the indigenous people on his first voyage. He thought he was in India so he called them "Indians". The name stuck.

Actually, that's another popular misconception: South American natives aren't properly called "Indians", they're "Indios".
Back during Ferdinand and Isabella's day, when Spain was a Catholic-fundamentalist country wanting to spread their Conquistadors as far as possible, the wishful dream of every missionary mission was that somewhere in the unexplored regions of the world was an unspoiled "second Eden" of perfectly happy and peaceful natives who weren't "savages" but lived an idyllic all-natural existence and wouldn't dream of war or rebellion, and weren't aware that they were just waiting to hear that one bit of Christianity to make their lil' Oompa-Loompa lives complete.
Spain was as eagerly interested in finding that in a resource-rich region as they were in trade routes, and funded Columbus with the hopes of finding happy barefoot natives living naturally "in God"..."In Dios".

 

[ricktech12]

1492 is is very entertaining and like many historical movies is not historical correct. Columbus was very well educated and keep written records of his experiences. All of Columbus's written records are in Spanish not Italian. Based on Columbus's writings historians believe he was Spanish, maybe Jewish, and bank rolled by wealthy Spaniards looking for a New World.
The nick name "Indians" was coined by Columbus when he meet the indigenous people on his first voyage. He thought he was in India so he called them "Indians". The name stuck. Unlike Troy, Columbus lived in a time when written records were kept so we do know many facts about his journey. Unfortunately, there is little about Columbus before his epic journey so we will never really know the complete story.
Nevertheless, Ridley made a very enjoyable movie that flopped at the box office. It was not a bad movie the general public was not interested in a period piece about Columbus. Maybe a longer version would develop the story and characters better as we saw with Kingdom of Heaven.
I would think the German version is the same as the French Blu-Ray because it would be to expensive to transfer the movie again.

I agree with your thoughts on the film, the 2 Columbus films were released for the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discoverys in 1992 but little did Hollywood know no one really cared to see them. I think there is a market in the USA for 1492: Conquest Of Paradise on DVD, Blu-ray it might not be huge but at the right price people would buy it because it's a Ridley Scott directed film. The other Columbus film The Discovery would be a tough sell for Warner to release on DVD, Blu-ray unless it's on demand, some might buy it to see if it's really that bad but I don't see it ever being released in the USA by itself, maybe in one of those budget Warner DVD 4 film adventure pack sets or something. Still both Columbus films should be released in the USA on DVD, Blu-ray, alot of films that tanked at the box office get released on DVD, Blu-ray all the time. The fact that 1492 was never released on DVD in the USA is mind boggling really I just don't understand why, Paramount several years ago was releasing several catalog DVD's, and some of those films were box office duds.
I do hope that Concorde in Germany doesn't port over the France Blu-ray HD video transfer for that release, I hope it's something new. As for the history involved I just really like the film, but I do realize like most Hollywood historical epics some of the history isn't accurate in spots, it's dramatized.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I have the French edition, plays fine on a multi region Oppo blu ray player, image wise it is very good, so it's 1080i and not 23.976fps, usually that would bother me but that isn't a huge issue for me this time as i just want to own this film on blu ray and they didn't overdo the DNR or edge enhancement with this one, there are some line issues onscreen affecting parts of the image at some points throughout the movie though, but i can live with them, it's a shame it's not the longer Japanese cut of the film.

Some of you dislike screencaps but here is a comparison between the dvd edition and the French edition.


http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleiche/comparison.php?cID=1024#auswahl

 

[ricktech12]

I have the French edition, plays fine on a multi region Oppo blu ray player, image wise it is very good, so it's 1080i and not 23.976fps, usually that would bother me but that isn't a huge issue for me this time as i just want to own this film on blu ray and they didn't overdo the DNR or edge enhancement with this one, there are some line issues onscreen affecting parts of the image at some points throughout the movie though, but i can live with them, it's a shame it's not the longer Japanese cut of the film.
Some of you dislike screencaps but here is a comparison between the dvd edition and the French edition.
http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleiche/comparison.php?cID=1024#auswahl

There really is no comparison except the colors are about the same, image wise the Blu-ray just blows it away in detail. Interestingly the Aussie DVD actually ports over the German video transfer, it's obvious when the films starts the title is in German, so I hope this doesn't happen the other way around on Blu-ray when the German Blu comes out, I hope it's not the France Blu ported over, not that it looks bad but a 1080p transfer would be nice. There is no longer Japanese cut to my knowledge, there is just the international cut and the USA theatrical cut and the France Blu-ray is the international cut.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by ricktech12 /t/321040/some-news-for-you-1492-fans#post_3932218
There really is no comparison except the colors are about the same, image wise the Blu-ray just blows it away in detail. Interestingly the Aussie DVD actually ports over the German video transfer, it's obvious when the films starts the title is in German, so I hope this doesn't happen the other way around on Blu-ray when the German Blu comes out, I hope it's not the France Blu ported over, not that it looks bad but a 1080p transfer would be nice. There is no longer Japanese cut to my knowledge, there is just the international cut and the USA theatrical cut and the France Blu-ray is the international cut.

I was actually hoping that the USA would get a Ridley Scott approved blu ray transfer this year with both cuts of the film included and i would buy that one, shame since it is the twentieth anniversary, is it Paramount for the USA. ?

 

[ricktech12]

I was actually hoping that the USA would get a Ridley Scott approved blu ray transfer this year with both cuts of the film included and i would buy that one, shame since it is the twentieth anniversary, is it Paramount for the USA. ?

I think Ridley Scott is just to damn busy to do an approved Blu-ray transfer for this film. I do believe but don't know for sure that Paramount still has the USA rights to release a DVD, Blu of the film but it's not certain, there could be a rights issue in USA with the international coproduction. If they didn't though I am pretty sure it would have come out on DVD at least by now in the USA, so I am guessing it's Paramount that is sitting on the title. It is a shame there is no 20th anniversary edition in the works, but Scott has 5 years to do something with this film like the rumored directors cut for it's 25th anniversary. The German Blu-ray may or may not be a 20th anniversary edition, not alot is know about it yet other than it being region free and being released through Concorde. It is very disappointing though that this has never seen a DVD, Blu release in the USA.

 

[ricktech12]

A poster on Blu-ray-disc.de named Ghost Rider posted this bit of info in an e-mail recieved from Concorde, this may be a bad translation from German to English:

Ghost Rider wrote: Sun have ne answer ekommen.
Unfortunately, this is what betrift presentation still unclear.
Since it would be if scvhön nachhakt one.
Ne Amaray without Booklett slipcase and this film is not appropriate.
The Concorde wrote:
Dear XY, dear film fan
Thank you for your inquiry and your interest in our program.
The Blu-ray Disc, which is published in the late summer of this year from Concorde Home Entertainment, is based on the master of France. There was scanned copy of a movie (a very common method), which was still being processed after consuming the best possible quality from the - to obtain a raw material - angejahrten. Further processing of the material by Concorde took place.
The French replaced by English overlays Bulletin with German subtitles, this can be accomplished technically straightforward. Because it "1492 - Conquest of Paradise", as are too many older films, no so-called German-Textless' must be used to back the English insertions. The monologue at the beginning of the film had to be re eingesprochen. The facilities and the final design of the cover, we can still make a statement. It is clear that the Blu-ray Disc will be equipped with a turning cover, this is for new releases from our company has long been standard. A booklet is currently not provided the soundtrack for licensing reasons can not be resolved. Quite apart from the fact that music rights are a very complex issue, the enclosure of a CD would also mean that the product is about 15 - would raise €. The response of film fans can imagine you intended - a free supplement (pronounced disc including CD are available for less than ten euros) but different from, and competition laws, but could not anyway.
We wish you an exciting home theater evening, Sincerely, The team of Concorde Home Entertainment

So apparently they are using the France HD master for this release but it says they are tinkering with it, maybe enhancing things. I will still get it but I was hoping for a new HD master. Of course if anyone can translate it properly maybe the translation isn't accurate, maybe it is a new HD master.

posted by Ghost Rider: So hab ne Antwort ekommen.
Leider ist das was die Aufmachung betrift noch unklar.
Da wäre es scvhön wenn man nachhakt.
Ne Amaray ohne Booklett und Schuber ist diesem Film nicht angemessen.
Das schrieb Concorde:
Sehr geehrter XY,Lieber Filmfan,
vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage und Ihr Interesse an unserem Programm.
Die Blu-ray Disc, die im Spätsommer dieses Jahres von Concorde Home Entertainment veröffentlicht wird, basiert auf dem Master aus Frankreich. Dort wurde eine Kinokopie abgetastet (ein sehr gängiges Verfahren), das im Anschluss noch aufwändig bearbeitet wurde, um die bestmögliche Qualität aus dem – angejahrten – Ausgangsmaterial zu erhalten. Eine weitere Bearbeitung des Materials seitens Concorde fand nicht statt.
Die französischen Einblendungen werden durch englische Einblendungen mit deutschen Untertiteln ersetzt, dies lässt sich technisch unproblematisch bewerkstelligen. Da es zu „1492 – Die Eroberung des Paradieses“, wie zu vielen älteren Filmen, keine deutschsprachigen so genannten Textless’ gibt, muss auf die englischen Einblendungen zurück gegriffen werden. Der Monolog zu Beginn des Films musste neu eingesprochen werden. Zur Ausstattung und zur finalen Gestaltung des Covers können wir noch keine Aussage machen. Fest steht, dass die Blu-ray Disc mit einem Wendecover ausgestattet sein wird, dies ist bei Neuveröffentlichungen aus unserem Hause seit längerem Standard. Ein Booklet ist aktuell nicht vorgesehen, der Soundtrack kann aus lizenzrechtlichen Gründen nicht beigelegt werden. Ganz abgesehen davon, dass Musikrechte eine sehr komplexe Angelegenheit sind, würde die Beilage einer CD auch bedeuten, dass das Produkt sich um etwa 15.- Euro verteuern würde. Die Reaktionen der Filmfans können Sie sich bestimmt vorstellen – eine kostenlose Beilage (sprich: Disc inklusive CD sind für unter zehn Euro erhältlich) ist aber aus diversen, auch wettbewerbsrechtlichen Gründen, in keinem Fall möglich.
Wir wünschen Ihnen schon jetzt einen spannenden Heimkinoabend, Mit freundlichen GrüßenIhr Team von Concorde Home Entertainment

 

[FoxyMulder]

So apparently they are using the France HD master for this release but it says they are tinkering with it, maybe enhancing things. I will still get it but I was hoping for a new HD master. Of course if anyone can translate it properly maybe the translation isn't accurate, maybe it is a new HD master.

I have picked up the German edition, its superior to the French edition, less grain removal ( although not perfect - due to using same master ) and proper 23.976fps, on a projection setup it looks more film like.